A Burrowing Affection
by AnA4ever
Summary: Once again Harry and Hermione join the Weasley's for a summer filled with Quidditch, reading, and running away from Fred and George's newest "joke". What will happen when a game of Truth or Dare gets dangerously close to revealing someone's secret? Takes
1. Quidditch Conversations

Disclaimer - I do not own the wonderful land of Harry Potter, or any of the characters. I received an angry letter from my church stating that the marriage doesn't count unless the groom is a real person. What's the world coming to?   
  
Harry smiled as he fell out of the Weasley's fire. Home at last, As he stood up, brushed himself off, and straightened his glasses he looked around the small, but cozy living room.   
  
Fred and George were in a corner laughing as occasional explosions emitted from the small cauldron between them. Ginny Weasley was watching them from a distance. Ron was playing wizard's chess with Bill. Hermione was in one of the over-stuffed armchairs reading up on Muggle Studies. What else would she be doing? Harry thought, rolling his eyes. Mr. Weasley stumbled out after Harry. He said hello to everyone then went into the kitchen to see his wife. A moment later he emerged, said goodbye, and apparated. Harry looked quizzically at Ron, but Hermione simply said, "The Order." She had a way of explaining everything before he had questioned it.   
  
Harry shook off the thought and challenged the winner of the chess match. Fred looked up. "Oh, Harry!" George finished his thought for him, "When did you get here?" Charlie's head appeared around the kitchen wall that separated the two rooms. "Harry! Up for a game of Quidditch?"   
  
Harry nodded and grabbed his broom. Ron and Bill left their game, running out of the house after Harry. A couple of seconds later Ginny saw the twins whiz by her. Hermione looked up from her book. "What was that?" Ginny sighed. "Quidditch." They exchanged glances that said it all and headed into the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley with dinner.   
  
Thirty minutes later Mrs. Weasley was yelling at the Bill and Charlie to set the tables down before someone got hurt. Hermione and Ginny, who had cooked almost everything, talked (or threatened) the boys into carrying the food to the tables. During dinner, the usual talk of Quidditch came about, as it always did around Ron or any of his siblings. Harry attempted to join in, but his mind kept going back to that day... He shook his head. Sirius is a free man now, Harry had been telling himself that over and over for the past couple of nights. But after the 300th time, he wasn't sure whether he believed that or not. Hermione and Ginny were discussing who would teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year when Hermione noticed Harry was deep in thought.   
  
Hermione stared at Harry for a minute before she could understand what he was chanting under his breath. She leaned towards him a bit, so only he could here, and said, " He must be Harry, he's just keeping your old man company." Hermione offered her friendliest smile. Harry appreciated her kindness, but she could never know the pain he felt. He gave her one of his famous grins and tried to eat. "Good food Hermione." He complimented with his mouth full.   
  
Hermione shook her head in disgust. "What do you think Harry?" Ron asked, realizing how quiet Harry was being. "About what?" Bill shook his head. "The game?" Harry just shrugged. "It's was alright." That seemed like a good enough answer for now he though. But I better pay attention.   
  
After dinner Mrs. Weasley announced that the garden needed a de-gnoming. Harry groaned along with Ron, but he still thought that de-gnoming was very fun. Hermione watched as the boys held a contest to see who flung the gnomes the farthest. Crookshanks went wild chasing a particularly fat gnome around the tables. Ginny giggled all the while, finally getting up to follow the crazy cat. Hermione was glad to see that Harry had found something that took his mind off last year. She had a strange though that maybe Mrs. Weasley had done this one purpose. Although it wasn't that strange, for she thought of Harry as her own son anyway. 


	2. A Missing Weasley Report

Chapter 2 of A "Burrowing" Affection  
  
{Author Note: Thanks to SesamE ChIckEN for reviewing.}  
  
Harry woke up in the middle of the night with his scar burning. For a second he thought of writing Sirius, but as he started toward the small desk he remembered. He often wondered if he would ever get over the loss of his godfather. It was a humid June night and the small room Harry often referred to as a furnace was as hot as a furnace. He went to the window and opened it, only to feel the hot outside air. He peeled off his nightshirt and turned to Ron's bed, making sure he didn't wake him. To his surprise Ron's bed was empty, if you counted the rumpled sheets then it wasn't but the bed was definitely missing a certain Weasley.  
  
Harry wondered down the hall to the toilet, being careful not to wake anyone. He tapped lightly on the door. "You in there mate?" He whispered through the door. No answer. After a couple more seconds of silence Harry turned around and walked towards the room that Hermione and Ginny shared. He knocked on the door. "Hello? It's me..." Harry softly said. He was tired of waiting for an answer and, figuring both girls were asleep, opened the door. Much to Harry's surprise the door developed a mouth and bit him. Harry yelled out and stepped backwards. "Bloody hell, what is wrong with the door?" Harry thought aloud. Ginny and Hermione stumbled out of the room. George and Fred came running down the stairs. Fred gave Harry one look and slammed him against the wall. "What do you think you are doing?" George and Fred yelled in unison. "Noth-"Harry started but was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley apparting in front of the scene. She pulled Fred off of Harry and demanded to know what was going on.  
  
"Well, mom you see, Harry here was sneaking into little Ginny's room in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" George yelled. "And I expect you were the ones who bewitched the door?" Harry asked. Fred nodded. "Brilliant aren't we?" But he quickly lost his humor when he looked at Ginny. "And Harry, what were you doing in the girls' room?" Mrs. Weasley asked calmly. "Well, Ron was missing, and I went to get Hermione, and..." Harry's voice trailed off when he glanced at Hermione. She was trying to contain her giggles, but it resulted in giving her a somewhat pained look. Harry silently laughed and became aware of his bare chest. He immediately folded his arms across his chest. Mrs. Weasley broke everyone up into pairs to search for Ron. Ginny had been secretly hoping to be paired with Harry, but her mother had instantly put Hermione and Harry together to search the garden.  
  
After they had left the hall Hermione burst into laughter. "And what is so funny?" Harry demanded, but Hermione just looked at him and continued laughing. Harry shook his head and sighed. Girls. They finally walked out the door and headed for the garden. Harry and Hermione took separate sides of the garden and started looking. Harry thought he saw something move in the shadows when he heard Hermione scream... 


	3. Mother Madness

Chapter 3 of A "Burrowing" Affection  
  
{Author Note: I will be answering the reviews in the review section! Thank you!}  
  
Harry ran to Hermione's side, thinking the worst. When he got to Hermione she was staring open-mouthed at the small clearing just ahead of them. Ron was sitting at one of the small stone tables the Weasley's often at lunch at, having an animated conversation with a girl of about 17. Harry gave Hermione a puzzled look and stepped closer to the clearing. Hermione pulled at Harry's arm and motioned for him to follow her. She led him back into the house and told Mrs. Weasley they had found Ron. Molly looked expectantly over their shoulders, her face full of confusion when she didn't see him behind them or in the doorway. "And?" She demanded, already starting to swell up into her somewhat bigger, somewhat scarier mother self. Harry silently mused how Mrs. Weasley could so easily change from her sweet self into a saber tooth tiger. Hermione and Harry stumbled through explaining what they witnessed.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was fuming when they finished. "How dare he! Sneak out in the night, bed empty, no note! For some scarlet woman!" Fred looked bit frightened and tried to calm her down. "Now Mom, you don't know her, she could be very nice. And he didn't exactly leave the yard, so he is still home." Hermione snorted, "Nice, if she was nice why couldn't he bring her to meet his family." George smiled and mentally noted that he had something new to tease Hermione about. "Well, what are we going to do?" Ginny asked, with her hands on her hips and her eyes sparkling with excitement. Harry gave Ginny a weird look out of the corner of his eyes. Is she actually happy that Ron is about to be murdered by his mum? "I don't know yet, wait I guess. Kids up to bed!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, already gearing up for Ron's chewing out. Fred and George laughed, " Honestly mother, do you really think we are leaving the room? You should know us better!" Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air, muttering something about respect and stupid kids. She walked into the living room and plopped down on her usual chair. Harry looked around the cluttered kitchen. The dishes were still washing themselves. Harry noticed the cooking books by Lockhart had been disposed of. They were replaced by an assortment of Witch Weekly, which, Harry hoped, had been rid of the frivolous articles that involved Hermione. The grandfather clock showed that Mr. Weasley was still at work. Harry felt a pang of guilt for him and watched as the hand that contained Ron's name turned from Garden to House. Harry looked at the door in time to see Ron's surprised face.  
  
Ron's ears immediately turned bright red and he managed to ask what was going on. "You should be answering that question!" Mrs. Weasley was back and already seeming taller than Ron, although Ron was a good six feet. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, and Ginny backed away from the kitchen and ran up the stairs to wait for Ron.  
  
{Author Note: I am not very satisfied with this chapter, I had a bit of trouble with it. Sorry!} 


	4. Stair Scene: Take 4

Chapter 4 of A Burrowing Affection  
  
{Author Note: I really appreciate all the reviews I have been getting and I want to let you know they really inspire me to write. Sorry I have not updated lately, I have been busy with certain family matters. Oh, and my boyfriend ; ) Sorry if this chapter isn't up to my normal standards. Thank you again! Now on to the story...}  
  
"So, what time is it anyway?" Harry complained rubbing his eyes. Hermione looked down at her watch. "It's 5:00 Harry, and really, you should get a new watch!" Harry smiled sheepishly. "I just haven't gotten around to getting another one yet." Hermione shook her head and sighed, "It's been over a bloody year Harry." Luckily Ron walked up the stairs just then, saving Harry a chewing out by Hermione. Ron stopped to survey the scene, Harry and Hermione were bickering, Ginny was standing across the hall from Harry, "not" staring at him, and Fred and George looked like they were up to something. Nobody would assume that something was out of the ordinary, except for the fact that it was 5:00 in the morning. Everyone stopped and looked at Ron expectantly. Ron shrugged, "Just a girl. Can't a guy get any privacy?" Ron would have sounded convincing, if he wasn't talking to the floor and if he was any other color but red. Harry ran his hand through his hair nervously and Hermione giggled. "Well, what are we standing around for?" Ron asked, going into his room and shutting the door. There was a mad dash for the bathroom, one in which Fred and George shoved Harry into the wall and Hermione grabbed the back of Fred's shirt pulling him down. Hermione ran into the one of the few bathrooms in the house and locked the door victoriously. The rest of the morning crowd raced down the stairs for the only other open bathroom in the house.  
  
After everyone had bathed, changed, and in George's case, been walked in on more than once, they headed into the kitchen, expecting a cooked breakfast on the table. What they found however, was an empty kitchen and a note from Mrs. Weasley floating above the table. Ginny grabbed the note and read:  
  
Hullo Children, Sorry to leave like this but I must go to the market. Please order something to eat. Your father has a telephone. Hermione will know how to work it, order whatever you want. I will be back later. Behavior yourselves! Mrs. Weasley  
  
Hermione looked surprised but picked up the phone that was lying on the table and asked what everyone wanted to eat. "Pizza!" Everyone shouted in unison. "Okay, pizza it is!" After Hermione ordered the pizza, the teens gathered into the living room to find something to do. "We could play Quidditch!" Ron suggested who had finally came downstairs to eat. "It's raining, and besides what would you do if the pizza delivery guy saw you flying around!" Hermione said in a very shrilly voice. "Okay, calm down." Harry said. "How about Spin the Bottle?" Ginny suggested, quickly glancing at Harry when she thought he wasn't looking. "I don't think so!" Fred yelled, already going into big brother mode again. "Yeah, Ginny, we would all have to kiss Hermione anyway!" Ron shouted, shuddering a bit. Harry noticed that Hermione looked hurt and he sat down next to her on the couch. She looked up and smiled at him. "What do you think Hermione?" Harry asked, still trying to make her feel better. Hermione seemed to think it over and suggested they play Truth or Dare. Everyone seemed okay with that game and they formed a circle.  
  
"Who first?" Ginny shouted. "Sheez, calm down Ginny. I will go first." Fred said, while Ginny received a look from one very amused Harry Potter. "Ron, Truth or Dare?" Fred asked, already thinking of something horrible to do for each one. Ron cringed under Fred's glare and picked dare. Fred laughed evilly and dared him to...  
  
{Okay, leaving off there, anyone have a good dare for me to say? Sorry it took so long. What do you think of it? And I can't think of a good dare, so no chapter 5 until I get a suggestion!} 


	5. Weasley Look Alike

Chapter 5 of A Burrowing Affection (Edited)  
  
Fred laughed evilly and dared Ron to dress up as Ginny for a few hours. A couple of minutes later Ron was looking around for a way out as Ginny tossed clothes out of her wardrobe looking for a dress big enough for him.  
  
"Oh, that's not fair, you don't always wear a dress!" Ron complained.  
  
"Stop being a baby Ronnikins, it's only for a little while." Fred laughed.  
  
Ron shot Fred a glare that made Harry wonder if looks could kill. Five minutes later the group headed back down the stairs to wait for Ron. Not long after Fred, George, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny had gotten comfortable in their little circle Ron came bounding down the stairs. Ginny and Hermione immediately erupted into fits of giggles.  
  
"Oh, shut up and get on with the bloody game." Ron snapped.  
  
Hermione looked worried and stopped laughing, but Ron's words only made Ginny laugh harder. Ron's ears turned red and Harry decided it was time to intervene.  
  
"I believe it was your turn mate." Harry said, careful not to look directly at Ron, for fear he would break out into a fit of laughter.  
  
Ron's eyes showed a glint of evil as he looked around the small circle. When he had finally succeeded in making everyone in the room cringe under his gaze he turned his head towards Harry.  
  
Harry gave him a pleading look and slightly nodded his head towards Hermione, who was sitting next to him. Hermione saw and lightly punched Harry, saying something about him being a coward. At that Harry picked up a pillow from the couch and tossed it at her. When it her on the head, he exclaimed, "Right on target!" Hermione flashed him one of her brilliant smiles and Ron spoke up.  
  
"Harry...truth or dare?"  
  
Harry seemed to think about it for a minute before answering with truth.  
  
"Taking the easy way out?" Ginny asked, obviously trying to get him to choose dare.  
  
"Yeah!" Harry openly admitted.  
  
Ron had his brow furrowed in concentration and there was a moment of silence in which Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "Okay, got it!" Ron said finally. "Harry..." Ron's voice trailed off as he saw a face in the window.  
  
"Ron? Hello? Earth to Ron?" Harry asked while waving his hand in front of Ron's face, which had gone ghostly white.  
  
Did she see me? Ron wondered before realizing that everyone was staring at him like he had grown a second nose.  
  
"What? Dramatic pause." Ron shrugged, trying to forget what he saw. Of course Harry saw through this but shook it off along with Hermione and looked intently at Ron.  
  
"Harry...Okay...I've got it. Who would you rather kiss? Ginny, Hermione, or Cho?" Ron asked smiling.  
  
"Oh, that was lame Ron!" Fred exclaimed. "Yeah I would have asked him – " But he was cut off by George's hand over his mouth.  
  
George handed Harry a small glass that was full to the brim with a cloudy greenish liquid.  
  
"Here, drink this!" George commanded. He handed Harry the what-seemed-to-be dirty swamp water.  
  
Hermione took the glass from Harry and examined it carefully; slowly asking the twins what was in it.  
  
"Well, we can't tell you that. But what it does is – "George started.  
  
"...act as a lie detector. It's simple. If you lie, a small physical appearance will change." Fred finished.  
  
"It won't hurt you, and the side effects wear off after an hour or so." George said reassuringly.  
  
Harry looked a bit skeptical but downed the murky water anyway.  
  
"Now, what's your answer?" Ron asked, fidgeting with the edge of the dress he was wearing.  
  
Harry turned a lovely crimson color, and although it was against his better judgement, he decided to lie.  
  
Twins couldn't have possibly perfected this, could they? It might be faulty. Harry thought hopefully. Harry gulped. "Cho."  
  
Immediately they heard a strange popping noise, and looked up to see Harry's normal, raven colored hair, red. Everyone erupted into laughter, and even Harry managed a small chuckle.  
  
George shook his head. "You can't fool it mate. Now, the truth!"  
  
Harry turned almost the same color as his hair and answered him in a very quiet voice. Next to him Hermione slightly jumped and flushed. Ginny gave a barely audible whimper and became teary-eyed.  
  
"What was that mate?" Ron asked, clearly enjoying embarrassing Harry like this.  
  
"I said Hermione." Harry said with a bit of determination in his voice. At this Ginny gave a small sob and ran out of the room.  
  
"What was that all about?" Ron questioned.  
  
Fred, Harry, and George shrugged their shoulders and Hermione sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"You four are really clueless! Ginny has fancied Harry for a while now." Hermione informed them, her matter-of-factness coming out.  
  
Ron gave Harry a puzzled look and Harry just shrugged.  
  
"So, what now?" Fred asked, noticing that everyone in the room seemed a bit uncomfortable.  
  
As George opened his mouth to speak the doorbell rang.  
  
{Another cliffie, well, this is my story, what did you expect? I am still not pleased with this, but, oh well, I guess it's as good as it's gunna get. Thanks for reading, please tell me what you think!} 


	6. None yet

Chapter 6 of A Burrowing Affection  
  
{Thank you for all of the reviews. I have noticed that in other stories, the authors repeat the disclaimer several times, so once again, I don't own Harry Potter, well, not yet anyway, but the time will come! Just kidding, sorry! On we go! Oh yeah, I have decided to make this chapter at least 1,050 words in an attempt to write longer chapters!}  
  
Ron, Fred, and Harry snapped out of their trances as they heard the doorbell ring through the house a second time. In a flash Ron volunteered to get the door and ran to the kitchen. Hermione, oblivious to the sputtering Harry, was lost in her own confused thoughts.  
  
"Well, you made Ginny cry!" Fred yelled at Harry, as if finally realizing that Ginny was really upset about this, and that Harry was the culprit of this sadness.  
  
"What should I do?" An extremely lost Harry asked. Fred and George seemed to think about this for a minute.  
  
Meanwhile Ron was just opening the front door when he heard Fred yell at Harry. Honestly Ron thought, annoyed that the afternoon had taken a turn for the worse.  
  
Ron peered through the peephole in the door, and before opening the door, he grabbed a robe off of the nearby coat rack.  
  
"Just make her feel better." George instructed as he and Fred shoved Harry to the bottom of the staircase.  
  
Harry was perplexed and asked how, did they suppose, he do that. The  
twins shrugged and walked back into the living room. Harry stared at their retreating backs and shook his head while sighing.  
  
Look what you've gotten yourself into mate Harry thought as he reached up to run his hand through his hair. It was then that he noticed his hair was still red.  
  
"FRED, GEORGE!" Harry yelled as he stormed into the living room.  
  
Ron had answered the door, and ushered the teenager to sit down on the porch swing. Before looking up, he made sure that the robe covered every inch of Ginny's dress.  
  
"So, what are you doing here this early?" Ron finally said into the silence. The girl's face became serious and she whispered, "I needed to talk to you."  
  
Hermione didn't even look up when Harry came into the room but when he flopped down on the couch beside her she forced herself to look at him.  
  
"What, may I ask, is your problem?" George spat back. He glanced up at Harry and started laughing.  
  
"Why is my hair still red?" Harry asked, clearly panicking over the fact of losing something that connected him to his father.  
  
"George? Um...this didn't happen with you. Do you have any clue what's going on?" Fred asked, trying to remember the side effects they had experienced after using the potion, although he thought they had worked all the kinks out of it.  
  
Before George could answer, with probably another question, Hermione spoke up.  
  
"You two may not have noticed, but you already have red hair! Now, think, what exactly were the ingredients?"  
  
"Well, now, before we share our secrets with you, maybe it's Harry's fault. After all, maybe he is still lying." Fred suggested. At that, Fred, George, and Hermione turned expectantly towards Harry, who had the distinct look of a dear caught in a car's headlights.  
  
Ron turned towards her and gave her a look that was filled with sympathy, curiosity, and anxiety.  
  
"My mum's in the hospital." She finally said in a shaking voice that showed she was holding back tears.  
  
Ginny was in her room, looking at the window and scolding herself for thinking Harry would be interested in her...a younger girl, a silly girl, an ugly girl, a pathetic, miserable, -  
  
But before she could finish her thought, she was interrupted by a strange sight: Ron and a girl she found familiar sitting on the front porch.  
  
"Well Harry? Are you telling the truth?" Hermione asked softly. She gave Fred and George a look that clearly told them to leave but they didn't take the hint and stayed in the room, eager to hear his reply. Hermione shook her head in exasperation and walked to the kitchen, pulling Harry behind her. This time the twins took the hint and started playing wizard's chess.  
  
"So Harry? Are you ever going to answer me?" Hermione said, turning to look at Harry, who was staring out of the kitchen window.  
  
He told her to be quiet and motioned for her to come to him. She looked a bit confused but did as he asked. When Hermione gave him a questioning look, Harry pointed out of small window.  
  
Ron awkwardly put his arm around the now crying girl and patted her back.  
  
"It's okay." He muttered over and over, trying to soothe her. After a couple of minutes she lifted her head up and Ron wiped away her tears. He was so lucky to have her.  
  
Ron thought back to last night. He realized how lucky he was that Mrs. Weasley didn't ask that many questions. She had been furious at first, but once he had explained about Mindy, she was more understanding, and a lot more curious. The way she had hung on his every word, although he didn't say much, reminded him of Ginny.  
  
"Who is that?" Harry whispered to Hermione.  
  
Hermione shook her head lightly, tossing her hair about a bit.  
  
"They are about to be interrupted." Harry stated simply.  
  
"Harry, what are you talking about? If Ron doesn't want to tell us – "She started, becoming her rule following self, but Harry put his hand over her mouth and nodded towards the drive way.  
  
The pizza had finally arrived, at a very inconvenient time.  
  
Ron looked up as he heard a car pull up, and said goodbye to Mindy. She disappeared behind the side of the house. After Ron watched Mindy walk away, he went up to the delivery bloke, and took the pizza from him.  
  
Harry and Hermione quickly sat down at the table, engaged in a very casual conversation about S.P.E.W. by the time Ron walked in the door.  
  
"Who was it?" Hermione asked, not looking up from the table, where she was tracing something on it with her fingertips. Her act of seeming uninterested was working surprisingly well.  
  
{Sorry it's short, but it is a bit longer than normal. I changed the conversations a lot in this chapter; it's not the best. It didn't flow too easily, but it's still a chapter. Not all of the chapters will be this way; I just felt it was necessary for the plot. Well, thanks for all the reviews I have been getting, it's awesome for my inbox to be filled with letters from the board about reviews! You guys rock! Gotta work on the 7th chappie. It should be up by the 1st. Please review, all kinds welcome. If there's something I could improve one, please tell me! The next chapter you will know more about Mindy and Ron's relationship.}  
  
Anybody have a title for this chapter? I'll give you credit. Please help? 


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